Publications & Reports

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Annual Reports & Recommendations

The Commission on GLBT Youth is mandated each year to issue policy and program recommendations to the executive branch and state agencies that provide services to GLBT youth as well as to the state legislature to advocate for adequate funding and services for GLBT youth. The commission also issues a annual report that evaluates how well government programs and the private sector is addressing the challenges faced by GLBT youth in the state. These annual recommendations and annual reports are available here for all in the Commonwealth to review.

Youth Risk Behavior Survey Results - 2005 - 2009

The Massachusetts Youth Risk Behavior Survey (MYRBS) is conducted every two years by the Massachusetts Department of Education with funding from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The survey monitors behaviors of high school students that are related to the leading causes of morbidity and mortality among youth and adults in the United States. Below you will find results of specific risk behaviors of survey respondents who self-identified as gay, lesbian, or bisexual. Currently, the survey does not measure students who identify as transgender or gender non-conforming. For more information about the MYRBS, please visit: http://www.doe.mass.edu/cnp/hprograms/yrbs/.

The Health and Human Services report addresses the problems faced by GLBT adolescents as they attempt to access health and human services in their communities. Evidence once again arises for the need to change the manner of provision of such services by public and private organizations for young people identifying actually or possibly as gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgendered. The report discusses specific challenges faced by GLBT youth, such as attitudes toward them based on ignorance or homophobia, and makes recommendations to health and human service providers and organizations on the need to acquire accurate background knowledge and methods of sensitively addressing these issues.

The Higher Education report focuses on evidence derived from testimony of students from a number of college and university campuses, from national studies and from documented research, that sexual minority students continue to be isolated, devalued and subjected to insensitive treatment, harassment and violence, even in institutions of higher learning. This report identifies problems and makes recommendations on addressing these issues in all areas of college/university life.

The Commission's groundbreaking Education report presents compelling evidence of the need for change in the school environment regarding GLBT youth issues. Focusing on testimony by gay and lesbian teenagers, members of their families, and school personnel at Commission sponsored public hearings, as well as national studies and professional articles, this report outlines existing problems and makes recommendations on how to address them.